


At Odds

by StarlightTiki



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Family Fluff, M/M, y'all know i'm all about that family dynamic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-14
Updated: 2018-05-14
Packaged: 2019-05-07 01:37:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14660637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarlightTiki/pseuds/StarlightTiki
Summary: Gods, he feels like complete and utter garbage. What had they even argued about?Something stupid, probably.





	At Odds

**Author's Note:**

> Comin' at ya with Dads!Ephraim/Innes and their adorable daughter Myrrh! This is just a quick little thing I wrote because I love this family and having them interact in a domestic setting brings me joy. I left things a little vague so feel free to fill in the blanks.  
> Enjoy!

“Um…are you and Daddy fighting?”

“ _No,_ ” Ephraim hates how sharp his tone sounds. Myrrh flinches and he hates himself for it. “…No, everything is fine. He’s just spending the night with your Aunt Tana.”

“He only does that when you fight, though…”

“We don’t fight, Myrrh.”

“Yes, you do,” She fiddles with the fork in her hand. “Not all the time, though. You tease each other and bicker but…it’s different when you fight,” She peeks at him from under her lashes, biting her lip. “Is he going to come back?”

“I don’t know.” Ephraim really doesn’t, because he knows he made a few out of line comments, just as Innes himself had done.

Tempers had risen, insults and insecurities were wielded like weapons, and it all culminated in his husband storming out of the house, the echo of the door slamming shut still haunting him.

Gods, he feels like complete and utter garbage. What had they even argued about?

Something stupid, probably.

“Well, if you don’t know, can I call him later? Just to say goodnight?”

“Sure.”

Myrrh nods, slurping up mushy and soggy noodles without complaint. He appreciates her consideration for his lack of culinary skill, but it only serves to remind him that Innes _isn’t here_ to provide them with his usual pretentious wannabe five-star dinner creations he lied about not finding on the internet.

He takes his own bite, grimacing at the saltiness, and realizes that his college-age self was an idiot. This was no way to live at all.

Afterwards, he sulks around the living room while Myrrh diligently does her homework by the coffee table. She asks questions about math equations Ephraim does his best to answer. It’s another reminder that Innes isn’t here to glare at her worksheets and insult the school curriculum for not teaching kids the proper way of adding and subtracting. There aren’t any threats to call the school board or rants about why education needs more funding or riling Myrrh up enough that he has to stop her from crying anarchy in the middle of her elementary school classroom the next day.

“Do you wanna watch a movie with me, sweetheart?” Ephraim asks when she’s packed all her things neatly into her backpack. Maybe that would help get his mind off the fact their home was missing its mainstay grouch.

“No, not really,” Myrrh hums. “Do you wanna play dolls with me? Pretty please?”

They play dolls.

He’s surprised at the intricate storyline Myrrh has concocted, one full of betrayal, long-lost ancestors and ambitions to steal the sacred stones of the entire continent, complete with her dragon plushie making a dramatic entrance from above.

“I asked Daddy if he thought my story was silly.” Myrrh comments, fiddling with one doll’s hairstyle. Ephraim doesn’t ask why it looks like she hacked away at it with a pair of scissors.

“And what did he say?”

“He said he was very impressed,” Myrrh recounts proudly. “He said I had a great talent for storytelling but that I couldn’t resolve everything with dragons coming in to breathe fire on everyone. It lessens the effect, he said. And then I said, ‘But Daddy, I love dragons breathing fire on everything! I have to make sure it happens a few times’.”

“And?”

Myrrh holds up a hand, gesturing towards nothing. It’s strangely reminiscent of Innes’s lecturing pose.

“He said that if I really wanted to do it, I had to at least make sure people get fire breathed on them for the proper reasons.”

“Sounds about right.”

“Mhm!” Myrrh then proceeds to pretend to breathe fire on two dolls she has dubbed “Ephlame” and “Innless” respectively. It’s terrifying to watch. When Myrrh notices his concerned gaze, she elaborates. “They were arguing over something silly so Mirror the Dragon came and kicked their butts. Now they’re fine, though. Tama is going to heal them and make it all better.”

If that isn’t a direct message being sent to him, Ephraim doesn’t know what is.

When bedtime finally rolls around, as promised, he allows Myrrh to call from the house phone.

“He might not answer if he sees my contact.”

Myrrh sends him a flat look. He wonders where she possibly could have learned to master the ice cold ‘you’re an idiot’ glare.

Innes answers after three rings.

“Hello?…Hi Daddy!” Myrrh speaks happily into the phone. “I’m okay…Yes, I had dinner. Noodles…Daddy don’t say that!” She giggles. “I also did all of my homework and played dolls and took a bath and brushed my teeth. Oh! We don’t have anymore of my glittery strawberry toothpaste…Okay, but can we get the purple one next time?… Thanks!” She chats a while longer while Ephraim watches from the kitchen counter, cheek resting upon the palm of his hand. “Mhm, I know…I love you a million too!…Well, I love you a million, bajillion, quadrillion!…Infinity? Oh no, I can’t beat that!”

Ephraim smiles fondly at the exchange. The only person with the ability to turn Innes into a pile of soft-hearted mush was their daughter. His smiles and words of affection were reserved solely for her. And…well, maybe a bit for Ephraim. He certainly hoped so, what with the rings on their fingers and all.

“…Okay, I’ll pass you to him,” Myrrh holds out the phone for him. “He said he wants to talk to you.”

He sends her up to her room and waits. The false steps taken up the stairs and the pigtail poking out from beyond the doorframe let him know she’s cleverly hidden herself just out of sight.

Ephraim takes a deep breath.

“…Hello?”

“Ephraim.”

“Innes.”

Silence.

“…I take it Myrrh is ready for bed? No troubles?”

“No, nothing.”

“Make sure she has her favorite blanket.”

“I know.”

“And to leave a glass of water on her nightstand.”

“Got it.”

“Also—“

“ _—I know how to take care of my own daughter, Innes,_ ” Ephraim regrets it as soon as he realizes what he’s just said. _Dammit. Gods dammit_. Why was he so bad at this? “…I—Look, I didn’t mean—“

“—No,” Innes interrupts him. “…No, you are correct. My apologies, I—“ He sighs. “I know you are more than capable. You were doing fine even before I was present. It was not my intention to imply otherwise.”

Now he remembers what they were arguing about.

“…Thanks. I, uh, I appreciate it. And if we’re being honest, I was a little bit of a mess before you came into the picture. I’m willing to admit that.”

“You are a little bit of a mess in general. That certainly doesn’t mean your parenting is.”

Ephraim laughs.

“No need to sugarcoat it. But I really do appreciate it. Thanks again.”

“You’re welcome.”

There’s another silence. Ephraim gathers his thoughts the best that he can.

“I didn’t mean what I said,” He begins. “ _Any of it._ You—Innes, let’s be real, you’ve done a lot. If it weren’t for you, I doubt things would have gone as smoothly as they have lately. Hell, you’ve been gone a day and everything feels like it’s all out of whack.”

“You’re exaggerating.”

“Am I?”

“…Fair enough. Ephraim, I did not mean any of the things I said, either. By now it’s obvious I can be needlessly insensitive without meaning to be. The last person I wish to harm with such a fault is you.”

“It’s all right. I know.”

“Do you?”

“For sure. It helps that I think you’re really hot when you’re mad.”

“Why must you be so crass?”

“I’m sorry. Here, let me try again. ‘I rather enjoy your personage when you are incredibly irritated and discontent’. Better?”

“Much.”

“Yeah, look, will you just come back already?” Ephraim sighs. “Myrrh is pretending to breathe fire on us with her dolls and I really don’t think that’s a healthy way of coping at all.”

 _“No, I’m not!”_ Myrrh shouts before she can stop herself. “He’s a liar, Daddy! Dad's a big, giant li--!” She gasps, covering her mouth in shock at having blow her own cover. “Oh no! I-I was just gettin’ some water!” She runs off quickly, her footsteps audible all the way to her room. Ephraim can just barely hear her grumbling about him being a tattle-tale.

“Was she listening in?” Innes asks, his tone concerned.

“Of course she was. She worries about us.”

“I’d rather she not.”

“Well then, why don’t you come on home so you can read her a bedtime story? Have any ideas?”

“Dragons, dragons and more dragons,” Innes sighs. “I’ll be there shortly.”

“Good. Oh, and, uh, Innes?”

“Yes?”

“I love you, _you nerd_.”

The response is a scoff.

Ephraim doesn’t even need to see his face to know he’s mirroring his smile.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I'll probably write more with these three because they're precious and I can't help myself!  
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
